Methods for color printing and articles made thereby

ABSTRACT

Methods of color printing of solid areas to create a frosted or shimmering effect including the combining of a layer of colored ink with a layer of finely divided white pigment, optionally supplemented by a small amount of finely divided metallic pigment. In one of the methods, the ink layer is first deposited, and the white pigment layer is applied thereover, using a bronzing machine in which the amount of white pigment applied is carefully controlled to prevent opacity. In another method, the white pigment layer is first applied, and is overprinted with a transparent colored ink.

Massa METHODS FOR COLOR PRINTING AND ARTICLES MADE THEREBY [75]lnventor: Neal N. Massa, Brooklyn, NY.

[73] Assignee: Chroma Printing Corp., New York,

[22] Filed: July 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 160,923

[52] US. Cl 117/13, 117/25, 117/28, 117/29 [51] Int. Cl. B44c 3/02 [58]Field of Search 117/38, 45, 72, 76 P, 117/8, 33,13, 26, 28, 29

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 390,447 10/1883 Brunetti117/13 978,394 12/1910 Passeau-Feil. 117/33 1,351,885 9/1920 Williams117/33 1,521,096 12/1924 Hennegan 117/13 2,259,863 5/1952 Grenbel i117/13 2,906,240 9/1959 Gladwell.... 117/13 3,083,116 3/1963 Berndt117/13 2,062,865 12/1936 Cleveland 117/45 X 2,243,486 5/1941 Ormond117/45 X Aug.7, 1973 2,322,928 6/1943 Drewsen et a1. 117/45 X 2,622,99112/1952 Sturm [17/38 3,025,627 3/1962 Misturini.. 117/38 X 3,049,0778/1962 Damm 117/38 X 3,192,063 6/1965 Donofrio 117/38 X 3,341,396 9/1967Iverson 117/45 X 3,355,312 11/1967 Coney 117/45 X 3,450,044 6/1969 Dixon117/45 X 9/1969 Tyrrell 117/45 X Primary Examiner-William D. MartinAssistant ExaminerM. R. Lusignan Attorney-Charles E. Temko [57] ABSTRACT6 Claims, N0 Drawings METHODS FOR COLOR PRINTING AND ARTICLES MADETHEREBY This invention relates generally to the field of color printing,and more particularly to improved methods of creating special effectsparticularly desirable in the preparation of merchandise packaging andmerchandise display printing.

Although the'invention has general application in the field of colorprinting, it is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with thepreparation of packaging and display material in the cosmetic field,where very often precise duplication of the color of the cosmeticcontained within the packaging is required. In the case of such items asface powders, nail polish, eye shadow and similar cosmetics in liquid,powdered, or creamed form, difficulty has been en-countered insimulating the appearance of the merchandise by printing on a cartonenclosing the goods. This duplication has not been so much of a problemin duplicating the required color in terms of hue and tint, as inreproducing the surface texture, which to a very substantial degreeeffects the resultant tint. Thus, the precise tint as obtained from aprinting ink often fails to convey the true character of the merchandiseowing to lack of surface texture, with the result that the purchaser whoselects the goods on the basis of the color represented on the packageis often disappointed in finding that the actual color and texture ofthe cosmetic is sufficiently different that it no longer matches thedesired effect.

Certain nail polishes, for example, have a frosted appearance whenapplied, and others have a shimmering effect, that is to say a lowdegree of iridescence which heretofore has not been possible toduplicate by printing processes.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention toprovide improved printing methods, in which the above mentioned problemshave been substantially solved.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedprinting method by which the frosted colors of a cosmetic may beaccurately reproduced.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedmethod for color printing in which the shimmering quality of certaintypes of luster nail polish may be accurately presented. I

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of improvedprinting methods of the class described, and possessed of the aboveadvantages, which may be performed using existing printing techniquesand equipment by those possessed of only ordinary printing skills, andusing readily obtainable materials.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of improvedprinting methods which are compatible with normal color printingoperations, including the subsequent lacquering or varnishing of entireprinted areas.

These objects, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, willmore fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and bepointed out in the appended claims.

In accordance with the invention, the methods consist essentially ofcombining in successive strata the layers of ink of desired hue with alayer of white pigment, the thickness of which is insufficient to causeopacity, to obtain in addition to the specific required tint, an effeetwhich differs in appearance from that which is obtainable upon mixingthe ink and pigment layer directly. Where a metallic effect is desired,small amounts of metallic pigments may be added to the white pigment toimpart a metallic luster to the finished product.

In cases where a frosted appearance is desired, the printing ink layeris first applied to the surface to be printed, and the white pigmentlayer of controlled thickness is applied thereover to create the frostedeffect, the white pigment layer being sufficiently thin as to allowtranslucency. Where the desired effect is one of shimmer or subduedsparkle, the white pigment is first applied, and the the printed inklayer is applied thereover. The following examples are illustrative.

EXAMPLE 1 Using a suitably coated paper, a letter press image of desiredcolor is made. Standard printing ink, either pigment-ed or transparentis employed. The color value is that which will appear at the completionof the operation, the specific tint being somewhat darker than thatdesired.

Using a corresponding plate, and a conventional bronzing machine, theprinted image is coated with a wax free color-less printing varnish to athickness of from approximately .0005 to .00l inch, and subsequentlysubjected to a bronzing action to deposit a layer of powdered whitepigment to a thickness ranging from .001 to .002 inch, depending uponthe degree of transparency required and the size of particles of thewhite pigment. The pigment applied is in dry form, and

is commercially available under the term sparkle grade, containingparticles sizes ranging from 15 to 40 microns. Particles of pigment notadhered by the varnish are subsequently brushed away, and theoverprinted image may then be lacquered, varnished, or otherwisefinished over the entire surface thereof in any manner required andknown in the art. In the thickness employed, the white pigment layerwill be insufficient to totally mask the color imprinted therebeneath,and depending upon the density of the white pigment layer, the tint ofthe underprinted color will be substantially lightened. By adjusting thedensity of the overprinted layer, the desired tint is obtained.

EXAMPLE 2 Where a metallic appearance is required, the steps of Example1 are followed, using a white pigment to which l0 to 15. percent of ametallic pigment, such as a copper colored, gold colored or silvercolored metallic pigment has been added. These pigments are also ofsparkle grade, with particles size ranging from 15 to 40 microns and insuch cases, the hue of the resultant printed color will be varieddepending upon the amount and color of the metallic pigment added. Theresult is a metallic sparkle quite different from that obtained byconventional bronzing operations, owing to the fact that "the base colorof the printing ink layer is visible.

1 EXAMPLE 3 In cases where a subdued luster or shimmer effect isdesired, the method of Example I is altered to the extent of depositingthe white pigment layer first, and subsequently overprinting with an atleast partially transparent printing ink, the ink being of asubstantially non-particulate nature, and overlying the particulatelayer. This causes an en-hancement of the color tint without the effectof frosting. This variation may be employed using either a pure whitepigment or white pigment with from to percent metallic pigment added.

I wish it to be understood that 1 do not consider the invention limitedto the precise details set forth in this specification, for obviousmodifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which theinvention pertains.

I claim:

1. The method of printing solid color areas upon a surface including thesteps of: providing a printing ink of desired color and hue, providing aparticulate sparkle grade white pigment in which the particle sizevaries from approximately 15 to 40 microns, depositing a first layer ofprinting ink over a desired area; coating the printed image with a waxfree colorless printing varnish to a thickness of from approximately0.0005 to 0.001 inch, subjecting said varnish to a bronzing action todeposit a layer of said pigment to a thickness ranging from 0.001 to0.002 inch, and removing particles of pigment not adhered to thevarnish, whereby the pigment layer will be insufficient to totally maskthe color imprinted therebeneath.

2. 1n the method of claim 1, the additional step of adding between 10 to15 percent by volume ofa metallic pigment to the white pigment.

3. In the method of claim 1, the additional step of applying aprotective coating over the white pigment.

4. The method of printing solid color areas upon a surface including thesteps of: providing a printing ink of desired color and hue, providing aparticulate sparkle grade white pigment in which the particles sizevaries from approximately 15 to 40 microns; applying to the desired areaa layer of wax free colorless printing varnish to a thickness of fromapproximately 0.0005 to 0.001 inch, subjecting said coated area to abronzing action to deposit a layer of said pigment to a thicknessranging from 0.001 to 0.002 inch, removing particles of pigment notadhered by the varnish, and over printing the adhered particles ofpigment with said ink.

5. In the method of claim 4, the additional step of coating the inkprinted area with a clear transparent protective layer.

6. In the method of claim 4, the additional step of mixing from 10 to 15percent by volume of metallic pigment to the white pigment prior toapplication.

2. In the method of claim 1, the additional step of adding between 10 to15 percent by volume of a metallic pigment to the white pigment.
 3. Inthe method of claim 1, the additional step of applying a protectivecoating over the white pigment.
 4. The method of printing solid colorareas upon a surface including the steps of: providing a printing ink ofdesired color and hue, providing a particulate sparkle grade whitepigment in which the particles size varies from approximately 15 to 40microns; applying to the desired area a layer of wax free colorlessprinting varnish to a thickness of from approximately 0.0005 to 0.001inch, subjecting said coated area to a bronzing action to deposit alayer of said pigment to a thickness ranging from 0.001 to 0.002 inch,removing particles of pigment not adhered by the varnish, and overprinting the adhered particles of pigment with said ink.
 5. In themethod of claim 4, the additional step of coating the ink printed areawith a clear transparent protective layer.
 6. In the method of claim 4,the additional step of mixing from 10 to 15 percent by volume ofmetallic pigment to the white pigment prior to application.